|
During his welcome address, Tom McArthur, Director of Operations for the NPIA, praised the students for their achievements. 30 of the 55 students who had attained Diplomas in Crime Scene Examination during the 2007/08 academic year took to the stage to receive NPIA diplomas from principle guest, Forensic Regulator, Andrew Rennison, later conferred by Durham University Vice Chancellor, Professor Chris Higgins.
Additionally, fourteen students were recognised for ‘showing exceptional commitment to their own learning while contributing to their fellow student’s development and also to the overall success of their course’ with a number of awards sponsored by key business partners.
The most esteemed of these, the Sir Peter Ustinov Award, named in honour of the University’s renowned former chancellor and given to the Crime Scene Examination Diploma Student of the Year, went to Gemma Lloyd of Bedfordshire Police.
Gemma said: "Undertaking the course was a huge commitment from the outset as the bulk of this work is completed in your own time. I was pleased to pass my diploma and grateful for the support I got from my family and friends while I was doing it, however, winning the award is the icing on the cake. To be chosen from a number of colleagues around the country who will have had to commit themselves as much as I have is a great honour. To receive the award in front of them and members of my family makes me feel very proud."
The Most Meritous Fingerprint Student Award went to Collins Monnamorwa, a Senior Fingerprint Bureau Officer in the Botswana Police. Collins has had to overcome significant hurdles to develop his learning, not least distance, which has removed him from the support of an in-house Bureau Trainer as provided to all UK-based Fingerprint Officers.
Two of the most high-profile awards of the day were for Police Photographer of the Year and Crime Scene Photograph of the Year, both sponsored by camera manufacturer Nikon. Kelvin Bowen of Gwent Police took the first of these awards with Steve Baillie, from Scene Examination, Dundee, being awarded the latter.
Steve said: “Third time lucky for me as I have been entering for the last three years with only a ‘commended’ to show for it. The standard is always incredibly high so I was delighted to be successful this year.”
Peter Walton, Head of Academic Programmes for the NPIA Forensic Centre and Chair of the Photography Judging Panel said: “Police photography holds an air of intrigue and mystique amongst the general public and forms an essential link in the evidential chain of most police enquiries. This is the seventh year we have run this competition, which, thanks to our sponsors Nikon UK Ltd, encourages the submission of quality and diverse subject matter, always providing the judging panel with a difficult choice.”
Colin Inglis, Senior B2B Sales Manager for Nikon UK said: "We are proud to have had the opportunity to support the Police Photographer of the Year Award this year. It's clear from the calibre of images in this competition that the entrants are photographers at the peak of their profession, and we congratulate them on their success."
Andrew Rennison said: "I am very honoured to be presenting people with their degrees and awards for excellence. It is important that we recognise hard work and a determination to reach high standards. As the Forensic Science Regulator my role is to oversee quality in forensic science, everyone here today sets an example to us all and I thank them for that".
|
